Mississippi Delta Pork Tamales - cooking recipe

Ingredients

36 dried corn husks
1/4 cup chili powder
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon cayenne powder
2 1/2 lbs boneless pork shoulder, quartered
1 3/4 cups vegetable oil
2 3/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
4 cups instant masa harina

Preparation

Fill a bowl with hot water and soak the husks to soften.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, mix 2 tbsp chili powder, the tomato paste and the cayenne powder into 6 cups cold water. To this mixture, add the pork.
Bring to a boil, cover and then reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the meat is very tender, about 3 hours. Transfer to a plate, reserving the broth. Shred the meat and transfer to a bowl.
In a medium saucepan, heat 1/4 cup oil over medium heat. Stir in 1 tbsp chili powder, 1 1/2 tsp salt, cumin and garlic powder and saute stirring frequently for about 30 seconds. Add in 1 cup of the reserved broth and then stir in the meat.
In a large bowl, mix the masa, the remaining 1 tbsp chili powder, 1 1/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Stir in 3 1/2 cups of the broth. Using a wooden spoon, beat in the remaining 1 1/2 cups oil.
Drain the husks and pat dry. Working with one husk at a time, spread about 1/4 cup of the masa mixture down the center. Top with 2 tbsp meat.
Fold the long sides of the husk together and roll into a skinny log, making sure the masa mixture completely surrounds the meat filling. Fold up the bottom, creating a package that is open on top.
Loosely tie three tamales together with a piece of kitchen string, making 12 bundles.
Place a heatproof 2-cup glass measuring cup upside down in the center of an 8-qt stockpot. Stand the tamale bundles, open ends up, around the cup. Fill the pot with the remaining broth and water to reach halfway up the sides of the tamales.
Bring to a boil, cover then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer until the masa is firm and pulls away from the husk easily, about 1 hour.
Serve hot with some of the cooking liquid.